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Mass211 Responds
Disasters Dominate | |
Thousands of people in Massachusetts experienced emergencies during the spring months leaving many of our neighbors, friends and family in need of help. Floods in March and a disruption of a major water source for local cities and towns for several days created big emergencies for several local emergency management departments. Mass211 was hard at work during these emergencies, helping those in need find essential community resources. Working with MEMA, FEMA, DPH and volunteer groups, Mass211 was part of a coordinated effort to provide the necessary data and information for the state's application, which resulted in a Presidential Declaration of Disaster in 5 counties. This declaration opened the door for more than 37,000 people to apply for immediate assistance through FEMA and SBA. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers from across the US came to help with immediate needs of those who needed mud outs and mold clean up. Mass211 played a key role in coordinating the efforts of these volunteers. Although the emergency is over, the recovery will be ongoing for the next 12 - 18 months. Volunteer groups will continue to help throughout the summer and Mass211 will remain a vital part in the unified coordination efforts.
A relief fund has been established for those in long term recovery from local disasters. For more information or to donate, simply go to the United Way Disaster Recovery Fund.
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Partnership with the Dept. of Early Education and Care Mass211 provides child care information and referral on a statewide basis for families and providers in Massachusetts. | Helpful questions for parents when looking for a child care provider:
- Is your program EEC licensed or authorized as license exempt?
- Do you have openings?
- What hours are you open?
- What are the ages of the other children that my child would be grouped with?
- What is the ratio of adults to children?
- Are there holidays or other days that the program closes?
- Do you offer part time or flexible care?
- What backup care is provided in case of provider illness?
- What activities would my child experience?
- What is your policy when a child is ill?
- Do you have a written discipline policy?
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Training Circuit : Check out some training opportunities in the local area: |  18th Annual New England School of Best Practices in Addiction Treatment, August 23 - 26, 2010, Waterville Valley, NH.
Securing the Dream: Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference - September 17 DCU Convention Center, Worcester, MA
This year's Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference, "Securing the Dream: Power, Progress, Prosperity," climaxes the twentieth-anniversary celebration of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. Speakers will include a combination of researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and community leaders who will share their expertise with the audience and will exchange the most up-to-date information on Latinos in Massachusetts. The goal in this statewide forum is to help obtaining new knowledge, define new policies and practices, and strategize to use the power found in the numbers to advance the Latino dream of progress and prosperity. Register here.
Health Literacy for Public Health Professionals
The goal of this new free, web-based training is to introduce participants to the fundamentals of health literacy and demonstrate the importance of health literacy within public health practice. The course will challenge you to think about the significance of health literacy in the work you do as a public health professional. The course also provides practical steps to apply the principles and strategies of health literacy in your daily activities
Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership
TENANT WORKSHOPS Basic Budgeting, Part 1
Tuesday, July 20, 5:30 p.m.
Learn basic financial literacy, including
how to track expenses, create a budget,
and pay bills.
For more workshops or information click here .
Credit Smart, Parts 1-4
Tuesdays, Sept. 7, 14, 21 & 28
City of Boston presents this workshop.
Learn how to budget and deal with credit
issues and how to improve your credit score
and keep it good. Seating limited to 25 MBHP
callers - call early to guarantee your seat!
Housing Search Workshop
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m.
Includes Fair Housing laws.
For market-rate tenants or those
who already have a rental subsidy.
Utilities Workshop
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 11:30 a.m.
Learn about ways to save money on your
utilities throughout the year, how to get
monthly discounts on your electricity and
gas bills, and how to apply for fuel
assistance programs.
All MBHP workshops are free, and reservations are recommended as space may be limited. To RSVP, please call Kate Fulton at (617) 425-6650 or e-mail workshops@mbhp.org. Please note that requests for reasonable accommodations must be made no later than two weeks before workshop date. |
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Tell Five Friends about 211
| Help spread the word about 2-1-1. Tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family.
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Annual Quarterly Call Volume
April, May, June:
2010: 23,126
2009: 9,359
Top 5 Inquiries
for the quarter
2010 2009
1. Disaster 1. Housing
2. Housing 2. Health Care
3. Food 3. Food
4. Income/ 4. Legal, Consumer
assistance and public safety
5. Information 5. Mental Health/
Services Addictions
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| Ask Your Elected Officials for Their Support
In recognition of 211's importance for everyday needs and in times of disaster, the Calling for 2-1-1 Act (S.211/H.R.211) is before Congress. The bill currently has 246 co-sponsors in the House and 61 in the Senate and is at a crucial stage. You can help by contacting your Members of Congress and encouraging them to pass the bill.
Rep. Anna Eshoo and United Ways call for passage in Congress: | |
To view video, click here
To Take action to support the Calling for 2-1-1 Act
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To search for information by connecting to the Mass211 database
| simply click here to find local resources.
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| Mass211 Works | A 90 year old caller, who is the care provider for her 56 year old son who is blind and in a wheelchair, called looking for help with replacing her furnace. The call specialist gave her an appropriate referral and an hour later she called back to say there was no funding available and they were not able to help her. The call specialist was unclear why they would not help and with the caller's permission called the agency. As the misunderstandings and misinformation were clarified, the agency was able to help the caller to her satisfaction.
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New Public Health Training Tool to Help Eliminate Disparities
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A new training manual from the Department of Public Health to help health and human services agencies enhance their ability to meet the need of the increasingly diverse communities they serve is now available.
The framework of the new guide is derived from the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
For more information contact the DPH Office of Health Equity at 617.994.9806 or to download the guide, Making CLAS Happen: Six Areas for Action, click here
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